


Nights Like This

by Astoria Gracewell (arh581958)



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Book compliant, Canon Compliant, Fingering, Fluff, Glitter, M/M, Magnus the Warlock, Maryse calls Magnus, NY Institute Shadowhunters, Protective Alec, Shadowhunting, Werewolves, bathing together, bathtub scene, canary sheets, post-HOHF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-23 08:16:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2540750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arh581958/pseuds/Astoria%20Gracewell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The NY Institute Team had encountered a pack of newly turned werewolves. Alec is surprised that Maryse calls Magnus to the Institute to patch-up the Shadowhunters. Despite being the High Warlock of Brooklyn, he can spare some time to assist his beloved Nephilim boyfriend and his friends. The things they do for love. Alec just wants to go home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nights Like This

**Author's Note:**

> M for the short mature scene near the end of the story. Although, it's mostly fluff.

Shadowhunting was not an easy occupation, especially on nights like this. The full moon shone bright in the sky high above the city of New York, numerous wolf-calls sounded in some far off distance blending in with the wind and near impossible to hear for unsuspecting mundanes. The city was silent and chilly, there were wisps in the air but no physical movement was in sight. More and more wolf-called echoed through the empty city.

"We'll leave everything in your care" said Jace, placing a confident hand over Luke's shoulder. The werewolf looked worse for wear, tattered clothing that was concentrated on his flannel shirt and mud caking on his boots. Jace appeared to be in a similar shape, with the back of his shirt torn off and a gash on his back that was slowly healing beneath a well-placed _iratze_.

"Thanks for your help. And patch up Clary, before you take her home tonight." Luke ruffed, voice still settling back to human setting. He turned to Clary with tender smile and said "You better clean up before returning home. Jocelyn will have a heart-attack."  

Clary gave a weak nod while her arm was slung over Alec's shoulder. There was a slight bruising on her face where she was hit by a flying garbage can, her hair still having the faint remnants of unmentionable trash, and her foot was sprained. She moaned a little when she tried to move so Alec tightened his hold on her waist, shifting more of her weight onto him.

"Thanks Alec" she muttered.

"Don't mention it" replied Alec. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing Isabelle fussing over Simon.

"Isabelle, I am fine!" the brunette whined, flicking Isabelle's hands away from his face. He too was also in several states of disarray. There was blood trailing down one of his forearms, jeans ripped in several places and looking like he had a broken bones somewhere. "Just draw an _iratze_ and it'll close like normal."

"But _Simon_ " Isabelle Lightwood's stern voice, reverberated through the open-air. Like always, there was barely a spot on blood on her. Despite the heavy battle they had just come from, her hair was still as immaculate as ever in a high pony-tail. "I need to check if you have a concussion!"

"Can you walk?" Alec asked Clary, who nodded tiredly and placed her head on his shoulder. "Alright, we'll do it slowly."  

The trek back to the Institute was as long as it was gruelling. Simon had his each of his arms looped around Jace and Isabelle as they helped him to walk despite his broken ribs. Jace, eternally grateful that Alec was taking care of Clary. They all trudged along the near empty backstreets of New York, weary about any more unwanted demon activity crossing their path. They were all drained, bloody, and needed a bath. By the angel, they passed through the Institute's threshold without further incidents. Maryse greeted them at the door.

"You guys need a bath."  a deep voice resonated through the stone walls. Magnus stepped out wearing pink suede pants, a white shirt with rainbow tie-die and black leather boots with spikes on the side. "Seriously though. You smell like sewers and wet dog with a side of vomit" he said, wrinkling his nose as he leaned on the wall behind him.

"M--Magnus?" stuttered Alec, complete shock plastered on his features. "What are you doing here?"

The warlock gave a huff, pretending to be offended. But he took pity on his boyfriend and took Clary away from Alec's arms. "Maryse called me."

"Mom called you?" reiterated in disbelief, clearly doubting that **his mother** of all people would invite his boyfriend into the Institute. But then again, his boyfriend was also the High Warlock of Brooklyn.

"I did" Maryse cut in from behind them. "Now warlock, I asked you here for a job, and not to flirt with my son. Get to it." she said, voice still as cold as dry ice.

Hurt flashed in Magnus' eyes but only Alec was able to see it. He gave a little pout, effectively covering it up, and gallantly gestured his arms to the side. "Lead the way. I'm never really fond of this place. Too many halls, it's like a maze! I can never find where I need to go."

Maryse spun around, not even bothering to look over at the warlock, and led the group further into the Institute in the direction of the infirmary without another word. Alec gave Magnus an apologetic look--apologizing for his mother being as rude as ever.

Magnus took the opportunity to grab Alec's bloody hand before placing a kiss on top of it. "This part is called--winning over the parents, or parent, tyrannical mother actually." he said with a smug grin making Alec, despite his a lot of blood loss, blush up to his ears. The blue-eyed Shadowhunter turned around and walked in the opposite direction.

"Alec" his parabatai called behind him. "Aren't you coming with us? You need some patches too."

"I'm fine. I'm going to my old room." Alec shouted back deciding that having his mother and Magnus in the infirmary together was too embarrassing for him to handle. And hiding in his room was the best viable option to escape that catastrophe.

He exhaled loudly upon entering his room, grimacing when he felt the gooey feeling creeping down his thigh and into his boot. But then he saw his bed--still as pristine as he the day he left it with a thick white comforter on the queen-sized mattress. He suddenly wanted to lie down and drown himself in that softness for the rest of the night. He lazily strolled over, falling face-down  on the sheets when his knees hit the edge. Inhaling the familiar scent of laundry detergent, it was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep.

Not even the sound of the door woke him, far too exhausted to keep his senses functioning.

"You'd be dead right now if I was a demon" a husky feline voice flooded into his ear. He felt the bed dipping with the added weight of his new companion.

"Magnus" he greeted groggily, trying to turn around but only managing to twist his head. "What are you doing here?" he repeated the question, unsatisfied with his boyfriend's earlier excuse. Humming as fingers drummed lightly over his back.

"Silly Alexander, I'm on a job." replied Magnus, dropping down to lie beside Alec with his cheek propped against an elbow. "And I'm getting paid too" he announced enthusiastically with a big smirk on his lips.

"That's nice" said Alec lethargically.

"I'll run you a bath so we can get you cleaned up" Magnus prodded him awake. He didn't bother to wait for a reply and sauntered into the connected bathroom with Alec's protesting behind him. He drew a bath, one that was slight warmer than he normally would and thought that it might do Alec's strained muscles some good.

A lump formed in his throat when the team, no longer a trio, traversed through the Institute threshold. All of them badly beaten and wounded in several places. His eyes automatically drifted to Alec who was hiding a pained expression and undoubtedly an injury as well. It was not like this was unexpected. With Shadowhunter numbers dwindled by the Mortal War and the Infernal War , even the children of the Nephlim were sent on missions now.

Not that it mattered since Alec was considered an adult at 18. However, the presence of two newbie  Shadowhunters-in-training was an entirely different case all together. It made each mission riskier. It was inevitable: Jace and Isabelle probably too caught up with worrying over their own significant other to give Alec any notice. Both of them were accustomed to Alec watching their backs and rarely the other way around. While they were brash, Alec was the calculating one in their trio.

The warlock unlaced his boots, placing them in a corner of Alec's room, then snaps his fingers and changes his suede pants into pin-striped pyjama bottoms. He scowled at the fact his pants got stain in Shadowhunter blood, a fact than he would undeniably bring up when the topic of payment arose. They were Alexander McQueen too!

Magnus padded back into the bedroom, now barefoot, and hunched over Alec's prone form, shaking him away. His boyfriend grumbled lightly at his ministrations. "Alexander~" he cooed, bring his lips near Alec's ears and licked. It caused the Shadowhunter to jolt awake and cover his ear on instinct.

"Magnus!" Alec yelped, neck to ear, flushing red. The short nap had given him enough time to revitalize his blood supply, making his blushed more visible.

"Bath" declared Magnus simply. Dragging his boyfriend by the arms and into the bathroom. There was an evident flinch from Alec. "Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere" said Alec which was not much to go on. Magnus made his way through his boyfriend's clothes. First stripping Alec of his shirt, which was torn in several places and without a doubt would be worn again without prejudice. His hands expertly unbuckled Alec's pants, working their way cleverly under the seams until it dropped onto the floor. He snapped his finger, wasting no more time, ridding Alec of his mucky boots. He sent everything to the laundry.

Magnus studied Alec's skin as they stood in the centre of the bathroom. Numerous cuts and abrasions were healed, leaving faint red marks in their place. The only thing wrong was a deep slash on Alec's left thigh, slicing so deep that bone peaked through the flesh. Magnus both frown and breathed a sound of relief: on one hand, it looked horrible and painful, but on the other hand, it was nothing he couldn't fix.

"How on earth did you manage to walk back here with **that**?" he asked, cat-eye widening at the sight of the open wound.

Alec sluggishly pointed to a spot on just behind his right shoulder. Magnus identified the mark immediately--and chuckled at his boyfriend's attempt at humour. It was the stamina rune. He would have slapped Alec on the ass, if not for the gash that he was intent on healing.

Blue sparks flew out on his fingers as he tenderly waved his palms over the bloody flesh. The cut lessened quickly, mending back into flawless skin with each pass of his hand. "There you go, sweetcheeks." proclaimed Magnus, slapping Alec's ass lightly like it was his well-deserved reward for a brilliant job done. It earned him a squeak from the Shadowhunter.

"Now how about we clean you up? Don't get me wrong darling, the sight of your drop-dead-heaven-sent-abs always gets me in the mood for some frisking. But the smell of wet dog just is not doing it for me. You understand don't, you?" Magnus said, in his own very unique way of being sweet.

Alec graciously took the offer and allowed Magnus to lead him into the bath. The water was warm and perfect, working out the kinks in his sore muscles that he had nearly forgotten. He felt the slickness of bath oils in the water, idly wondering what his warlock had mixed in. "Smells nice" he commented, allowing the sweet aroma to fill his senses.

"Oranges and Sweet Marjoram. Do you like it?" Alec merely hummed in response, sinking further in oiled water.  

"Join me for the bath, Magnus. It feels better when I can feel you against me." it was ragged but firm, just like Alec--headstrong despite his injuries.

"Alexander, you know that we will never fit." Magnus let an amused smile light up his features. Rare as they were, Magnus loved it when Alec was being open with him and allowed his emotions to be at east. They frequently came during night like this when they were alone, much like they were at present.

"Make us fit" Alec pressed, a bit more demanding.

"Very well" Magnus conceded, moving from his seated position beside the bathtub and kissed Alec on the forehead. "Don't lean against the tub, you might slip when I enlarge it." Alec complied without a word, curling into his aching body with a hiss.

With a snap of his fingers, the tub elongated to double its length and widened by a half giving the pair enough space to cuddle while under water. Magnus entered the tub, clothes folded on the bed with another snap of his magical fingers. He sat behind Alec, allowing the pale boy to lean against him. Alec hummed when strong arms encircled around his chest and waist. He sighed with content when the long lean fingers caressed his tender, tickling his skin with a bit of magic.

"You don't have to keep using magic" pointed Alec who hummed along with Magnus' attention. It was Magnus'--the only type of affection he would allow himself to grow accustomed to.

"But--" Magnus was about to protest, a small frown melting into his features.

"You are the High Warlock of Brooklyn. You have multiple appointments in a day. Your magic is more taxing than shadowhunting, Magnus." Alec told him, lifting to look into Magnus's gold-green eyes. "Having you here is enough. I'm not dating you because you can heal me. I'm dating you because I want to."

Magnus let the blue sparks fade. He settle into Alec's shoulder, arms wrapped around his Shadowhunter. Alec had always been unique, never asking to anything he couldn't give, never begging for attention, never taking advantage of his warlock abilities. Most of his one-offs had approached him because of his warlock abilities and what he can do for them. But Alec, asked him out without all that pretence.

"What happened to your leg? Besides that fact that is was mauled over by a vicious, probably newly changed, werewolf attack. How did it happen?" he asked with most caring voice he could make.

"Hmmm" Alec said in thought, moving against tanned fingers like playdoh. "Isabelle was busy with her whip around one wolf. Simon was on top it, trying to calm it down. Jace yelled my name and turned to see Clary being hit by a dumpster--"

"That explains why she reeks."

"Haha" chuckled Alec. "My parabatai rune heated. Jace was still fending off another werewolf. So I ran over to Clary who was stuck under the dumpster. I was helping her up when the wolf that was with Jace decided that I was a better target. I got slashed but Jace pried the wolf off before it mangled my whole leg."

"You know I love you, right?" Magnus whispered softly. Alec nodded. "Maryse insists that you stay the night in the institute. Because of your injured, bloody, and probably a bit weak, she said. But you I think that her way of saying she misses you." He scooped a hand full of warm water and gently poured it on Alec's head, plastering the boy's locks on his neck and removing the stains of werewolf blood and grime.  

Alec thought for a while before agreeing, humming at the warm water sliding down his back. "Can you stay too?" peaking an eye open while turning to Magnus, his face pinkish from the heat. There was a flash of something in his blue eyes before he continued. "I don't like sleeping away from you."

Waves of affection washed over Magnus. The blossom of overwhelming fondness threatening to burst in his chest. He snuggled closer to Alec, idly playing with pale reddish fingers. Multiple lashes were on the forefinger of Alec's dominant hand, no doubt from drawing his bow string tonight.

On nights like this, Magnus would be brimming with worry over his lover. A full-moon and a call from Luke was always something to fret over. Tonight the atmosphere was perfect for a bunch of new werewolves to wreak havoc in the city, most of them turned from the previous month's disaster from rogue werewolves. Of course, the Shadowhunter of the New York Institute were called to handle the situation.

He would never wish for Alec to stop being a Shadowhunter or shadowhunting, for that matter. Despite the perils that came with the job, it was what Alec loved doing and Magnus will never ask Alec to give up something he loved. Because, he reminded himself over a dozen times, it will be alright as long as Alec came home to him.

"Of course I will." responded Magnus. "I will never leave my patients when they need me. That's far too insulting as a warlock. Besides, I think there is one particular patient in the Institute that needs my expert warlock attention tonight."

Alec laughed and it resounded through the bathroom. He twisted his torso around, giving just enough space so he can press closer to Magnus. "Then kiss me already."

Magnus eagerly complied, taking Alec's bruised lips into his. He kissed gently, wrapping his arms around Alec's torso and tracing the runes of his lover's back. The expanded tub accommodated both their bodies perfectly even we Alec spun around to face Magnus. They kissed, pressed against each other lips-to-lips, chest-to-chest, groin-to-groin, feeling their erections harden between them. Alec wove his arms around Magnus' neck, finger playing with the droopy spikes of Magnus' hair.

"Bed" Magnus murmured against his skin. He simply nodded. Sturdy arms ran over his back until they reached his bottom, cupping his cheeks before lifting him out of the water. Instinctively, he wrapped his legs around Magnus' slippery lithe frame to avoid falling. With a well-placed ounce of macho-ism, Magnus brought them back to the bedroom and dropped both of them on the four-poster bed.

Alec released his waist, suggestively spreading his legs with his arms above his head. His hair was sprawled around his head like a crown of dark light. His face was flushed from heat. His body glistened beneath the moonlight passing through the large bay window. Over him was Magnus whose cat-like eyes shone in the dark, gold-green orbs staring at him from the shadows.

"You are beautiful, Alexander" Magnus said softly, working his way up from a pale stomach, over those divine abs, to Alec's creamy chest. "Tell me what you want"

"I want you" said Alec with utter simplicity. "Magnus, only you."

The essential oils in the bath made preparation easier. Alec groaned at the feeling of Magnus finger passing through his tight ring of muscles. It felt like it had been days since their last encounter which, in reality, was a mere eighteen hours ago. Alec found that with his death always on his doorstep, mere hours always seemed like day. Each second without Magnus stretched like an eternity. He was falling away as the finger continued to prod into his body.

"M--Ma--Ma-ag-nus" he arched in his back near painfully when the finger bended inside him and swirled. "Magnus, more. Give me more." he managed to say in-between pants. His control was slipping, draining away from his body until he was nothing but a whimpering mess under Magnus' mercy. He hissed when a second finger entered him unexpectedly, only to have Magnus trail soft butterfly kisses down his face.

"Make love to me Magnus. Make me yours. I want to be yours and yours alone." said Alec through his moans. The breach came moments later, a hot sting on his ass whole as he was stretched. It was a wonderful burn that was soon washed over with pleasure riding up his spine.

"Ahh--Ahh--Oh Angels--Magnus--so good--Magnus--please--take me--fuck me--yes like that"

Magnus grunted like an animal when he exploded, filling Alec with his seed until it leaked from where they were joined. He kissed Alec everywhere--anywhere that he could reach with his lips. He tumbled down beside Alec with a groan. "I will never get used to this." he muttered against the damp black locks of his lover.

"Stay with me" mumbled Alec, eye already closed as he drifted to sleep. Magnus wrapped an arm around Alec, threw the heavy white comforters over them and followed Alec into dreamland.

When Alec woke up, it was to the steady breathing of his slumbering lover. He was a bit cold and felt that kinks of the last mission had faded away. He suspected that Magnus had something to do about that. For months they finally lived together--it was the best few months of Alec's life. He peaked an eye open, finding not the purple walls of their bedroom but the plain white walls of the Institute. He frowned a bit, no longer comfortable with the plainness of his former bedroom.

Their legs were entwined together and when he moved, he realized that they were still connected. Magnus' limb flesh still buried deep inside him. There was an odd feeling of warmth when he thought about it. He moved, pressing it deeper within him. The sensation of being filled was like finding that missing piece in his life--that piece was Magnus.

"Magnus" he whispered his lover's name affectionately. He swiped back the dark purple-tipped locks that had fallen on his boyfriend's face. "Magnus" he called again, firmer this time.

One of Magnus cat-eyes opened and peered at him. "What is it Alec?" his voice was hoarse and grumpy from being woken. But Alec did not let it faze him. He snuggled further into Magnus.

"I can't sleep."

"That's not my problem." getting grumpier by the second. But Alec pushed their hips together, letting Magnus feel how intimately they were still connected and saw the warlock smile. "You little devil" he said with a smirk on his lips.

"I can't sleep." Alec repeated.

"What do you want me to do?" Magnus spoke softly into his hair.

"The canary sheets at home."

 _Home_ \--something that Magnus never expected his apartment to be. Home--which signified more than just a space to live in. Home--a place of love and warmth which he thought he would never have. Magnus threw his head back and laughed, the sound rumbling deeply in his chest.

"Alexander Lightwood you are insane." he declared with a snap of his fingers. Instantly the sullied white sheets was replaced by the bright canary yellow comforter summoned from their bed in Brooklyn. It left a few bits of glittering fluttering about in the air as it settled over them.

Alec smiled brightly, pecking a meek kiss on Magnus' lips before settling back down. "Thank you" he said into Magnus chest as he snuggled closer. His eyes fluttered close. On nights like this, Alec was happy and content. All he needed was Magnus and their canary sheets--he was home.

**Author's Note:**

> [ **Got a prompt?** ](http://arh581958.tumblr.com/)


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